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  THE 'UP-TO-DATE' CLIFF CHART ACTION  Cliff's "Rare And Unseen" hit No.4 in the DVD/Music Video chart on April 4th, 2010. It is Cliff's 2nd No.4 hit and his 40th hit in the DVD/Music Video chart.  Cliff's latest hit single "Singing the blues" hit No.40 in the U.K. singles chart in September 2009. It is Cliff's 135th hit single and his 124th Top 40 hit.  Cliff's latest album "Reunited", hit No.4 in the U.K. album chart in October 2009. It is Cliff's 62nd hit album. Cliff has had 39 Top 10 hits, 47 Top 20 hits and 55 Top 40 hit albums to date.  "The hits I missed" (ITV) screened on Saturday, November 17th, 2001 was watched by 5.8 million in total. It was screened against Robbie William's R.A.H. concert (BBC1). Robbie beat Cliff in the 'overall' figures': 6 million to Cliff's nearly 6 million. However, in the 'Age 35 plus' figures ('the highest viewing figure' group) Cliff had 4.5 million to Robbie's 4 million! "BOLD AS BRASS" ALBUM. Latest Cliff album. On Monday, October 11th - three days before Cliff's 70th birthday - EMI Records will release Bold As Brass, his album of swing standards, recorded in Nashville and produced by Grammy Award-winning Michael Omartian. The tracklist is as follows: Love me or leave me, Lazy river, I've got you under my skin, I just want to make love to you, They can't take that away from me, Let's fall in love, I didn't know what time it was, Accentuate the positive, Teach me tonight, Don't get around much any more, Night and day, Bewitched, bothered and bewildered. A 'Special edition' of the album contains two extra tracks: Sugar to tea Every time we say goodbye. "BOLD AS BRASS" 2010 Royal Albert Hall, London. Accompanied by a Swing Band, Cliff will sing some of the hits from his 52 year career along with a selection of songs from his yet-to-be-released album "Bold as Brass". Following his solo 50th Anniversary concerts in 2008, and his reunion tour with The Shadows in 2009/10, these special 70th birthday shows will present to his fans yet another dimension of Cliff's remarkable musical versatility! Monday 11th October Tuesday 12th October Wednesday 13th October Friday 15th October Saturday 16th October Sunday 17th October. Tickets: Box Ticket: £75. All Stalls & Arena: £70. Front Circle: £65. Rear Circle: £55. Choir: £60. Restricted Circle: £45. ON SALE FROM 9 am on Sun 7th March. There are 3 ways to book tickets:Online at www.royalalberthall.com. By phone on: 0845 401 5033. In person. The Royal Albert Hall is operating a voucher system so overnight camping and queuing are not permitted. Numbered vouchers are now available in person from the Royal Albert Hall box office (open daily 9am 9pm). Vouchers are available until 9pm on Saturday 6th March. Voucher holders can start queuing in number order from 7am to 8.30am on Sunday 7th March outside Door 12. Anyone who arrives after 8.30am will be asked to join the end of the queue regardless of voucher number. The box office will start selling tickets at 9am. Please note that vouchers must be collected in person and are limited to 1 per person. ID will be required to collect your voucher and to purchase your tickets. Each voucher entitles the holder to purchase a maximum of 4 tickets across all Cliff Richard performances, subject to availability. Please note your voucher is not a ticket and does not guarantee that you will be able to buy a ticket. There is a maximum of four tickets per household permitted across the run of shows. Group bookings are not available for these concerts. A booking fee is added to every ticket sold. IMPORTANT - You are urged to purchase tickets only from the Royal Albert Hall box office or as part of a travel-inclusive package from Newmarket Travel. There are no other authorised agents, and buying tickets via eBay violates the Royal Albert Hall's terms and conditions. Beware of tickets offered at inflated prices by unknown agencies; some of them advertise tickets they don't actually have, and you may lose your money as well as the chance of a ticket. TRAVEL PACKAGES. You can book a travel-inclusive short break package through Newmarket Travel at www.newmarket.travel/cliff or call: 0843 316 1145. CLIFF AND THE SHADOWS "REUNITED" 2009 TOUR Friday, September 25th, 2009. The 02 Arena, London. Outside the Arena, there are large, no huge, circular drums which show Cliff and the Shadows on them. The weather is sunny and gorgeous. Inside the arena, it strikes you how HUGE it really is. The raised seating is extremely high and goes straight up - very steeply! The arena seems to take a long time filling up, but fill up it does. The show is late starting, 7.40pm. The lights go down and then, they are on stage. Cliff in his pink jacket and the Shads in black suits. WE SAY YEAH gets the show off to a flying start. Into IN THE COUNTRY and a very lively GEE WHIZ IT'S YOU - great. Cliff is in good voice tonight. A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS slows things down. LIVING DOLL sees everyone singing and swaying along. This is followed by DANCING SHOES. Cliff is dancing and twirling on stage - great stuff. Cliff says that not all their songs went to No.1 but this is one they did like, I'M THE LONELY ONE. A GIRL LIKE YOU is next. Cliff leaves the stage and the Shadows, now with Mark Griffiths doing at the front with Hank and Bruce, doing the steps to a lively SHADOOGIE. DANCE ON. Hank introduces WONDERFUL LAND. THE SAVAGE brings back memories of 'The young ones' film and the youth club. This is followed by the quieter SLEEPWALK. Cliff returns, now in black, for an early rocker HIGH CLASS BABY. Then it's I COULD EASILY FALL. WILLIE AND THE HAND JIVE sees Hank and Bruce up front with Cliff. The Frankie Ford classic SEA CRUISE closes the first half. Second half starts with C'MON EVERYBODY, that Eddie Cochran masterpiece. Good to see Cliff perform the punchy DYNAMITE - terrific. LUCKY LIPS and TRAVELLIN' LIGHT. Stools are brought on as they go into TIME DRAGS BY (from "Finders keepers"). The Elvis tribute is ALL SHOOK UP with the same arrangement as the 1984 concerts. PLEASE DON'T TEASE "Written by him!" Cliff points to Bruce. Cliff leaves and the Shadows perform APACHE. FOOT TAPPER. Next is ATLANTIS, which is excellent. Hank's guitar playing is superb. A rousing FBI closes their segment. Cliff back on, now in white suit for I LOVE YOU, with the slightly unusual start. THE NEXT TIME hasn't quite got the sound it has on the album. The same applies to DON'T TALK TO HIM. ON THE BEACH, as always, sounds brill. SUMMER HOLIDAY and BACHELOR BOY sees everyone singing along again. Cliff mentions that before the films they really were a rock'n'roll band and to prove it...NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN rocks and IT'LL BE ME is simply stonking!! Things slow down for VISIONS. They all go off as the audience shouts for MORE. They return. Cliff fluffs the next intro, starting to talk about the new single, then goes to talking about the song that he has never left out of ANY concert, MOVE IT. Now, it's SINGING THE BLUES. The evergreen favourite THE YOUNG ONES sees fans standing and singing. At the end the impressive crowd are on their feet and clapping. Seeing them all back together on stage and performing these songs that we have known and loved for all our lives is truly a piece of magic that has touched our hearts and minds forever. The old team show that they have not lost it. They never did. It was there all the time ... and we are privileged to witness Britain's first, and still the best, rock'n'roll group. Cliff and the Shadows. PURE MAGIC. Review by William. (If you use this review please credit). CLIFF AND THE SHADOWS "REUNITED" 2009 TOUR Saturday, September 19th, 2009. Killarney, Co.Kerry, INEC Arena. Cliff and The Shadows were awesome at The INEC in Killarney. It's a lovely sunny evening in Killarney.As we que up to go into the INEC a camera crew film the fans and interview some of them. They also film the audience inside. The INEC is packed and the excitement is building. The stage has a huge video screen at the back with a red back drop. At around 8.10pm the lights go down and the guys names start to appear on screen. Everybody is clapping and cheering. Cliff and The Shads appear on stage and start with a rocking WE SAY YEAH. Next is IN THE COUNTRY with scenes from the country on the video screen. Then it's GEE WHIZ IT'S YOU. This is followed by A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS. Cliff then speaks about today's pop stars and how you're a failure if every record doesn't get to No 1. He said his first No 1 was after a lot of lower placed chart hits. This leads into LIVING DOLL with everyone singing and clapping along. Next is DANCING SHOES, which has a false start. Cliff looks at Hank and Bruce and laughs saying the lyrics were crap whoever wrote them. The guys all laugh too. Then they perform it again. A great rocking version with great guitar from Hank. Cliff then says some of their favourite songs didn't get to No 1.This leads into a great version of I'M THE LONELY ONE. Cliff speaks about their melodic side and this leads to A GIRL LIKE YOU. He then talks about B sides making the charts in the 60s and they do a stomping DO YOU WANNA DANCE. Some of the audience are up dancing but are made sit down by the stewards. Cliff wore a black trousers, pink jacket and pink tie for this part of the show. The Shads wore black suits and white shirts. Cliff then leaves the stage and The Shads do 5 instrumentals. SHADOOGIE is followed by DANCE ON, WONDERFUL LAND, THE SAVAGE and SLEEPWALK. The boys are in top form and sound really tight. Cliff comes back on wearing a sequined black jacket and they rock on with HIGH CLASS BABY. This is followed by I COULD EASILY FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU, which was in The Top 10 the week I was born. Then they do WILLIE AND THE HAND JIVE with all the moves. Next we hear the bells which are played by Warren Bennett. This leads into the super rockin SEA CRUISE with sea views on the video screen. Everyone is clapping and cheering and this ends the first half. The first half was awesome so we can't wait for the second part. Everyone is talking during the interval how brilliant the concert is and how Cliff and The Shads are in top form. Cliff looks really well and is very fit and tanned. His voice is strong and the Shads are playing better than ever. The second half kicks with a super rocking C'MON EVERYBODY. Cliff then talks about B sides again and we get another rocker DYNAMITE. Next is LUCKY LIPS with everyone singing and clapping along. 3 stools are brought on stage and Cliff talks about artists today doing unplugged albums.This is followed by the super new arrangement of TRAVELLING LIGHT with Cliff, Hank and Bruce on acoustic guitars. Cliff and Bruce comment how the audience know all the words as we all sang along. Next is TIME DRAGS BY with Warren on harmonica. This is a great song which Cliff said they rarely perform. Cliff then talks about someone who helped start it all. Hank moves up and bows. Cliff laughs and says Elvis. ALL SHOOK UP is next, which is wonderful. It's the same arrangement as the "Thank You Very Much" concert. Bruce says Elvis sold more records after his death. Cliff laughs and says I'm not that competitive. They plug in again for another rocker PLEASE DON'T TEASE. Bruce says at last they're doing one of his songs. Cliff then leaves the stage to huge applause. The Shadows do 4 instrumentals. APACHE which Bruce says was No.1 49 years ago this week. This is followed by FOOT TAPPER, ATLANTIS and FBI. They sound great with The Shadows walk and all the moves. Cliff runs back on stage wearing a white suit with black shirt. It's sraight into I LOVE YOU followed by THE NEXT TIME. He talks about writing songs and they do DON'T TALK TO HIM followed by ON THE BEACH. He then talks about films and SUMMER HOLIDAY is next followed by BACHELOR BOY. Everyone is singing and clapping along. Cliff then talks about everyone knowing them for all the big hits but he says we started out as a rock'n'roll band and we still are. Next are two super rocking versions of NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN and IT'LL BE ME. The whole audience is up dancing by now. This is followed by the beautiful VISIONS. Cliff then thanks everyone for coming and thanks Warren Bennet and Keith Hayman on keyboards and Mark Griffiths on bass. He said they had a great two weeks in Killarney and were thrilled with the audience reaction. They bow and leave the stage with everyone shouting for more. They come back on to do MOVE IT. Cliff mentions the new single and SINGING THE BLUES is next with everyone singing and dancing along. Then it's THE YOUNG ONES, which is the final song. It's a wonderful concert with Cliff and The Shadows singing and playing better than ever. Review by John Geaney. (If you use this review please credit). "Reunion" tour snippets ... The giant screen at the back of the stage was great and it added great effect...They were two cameras at the front of the stage filming the show for the screen...The INEC is a great venue and the sound was excellent...The capacity is around 4000...Cliff and The Shadows stayed at the Brehon hotel which is on the same site. It also has two tennis courts which was handy for Cliff...The programme is great and is really up to date because it has loads of photos of the rehearsals in Killarney so it's hot of the presses...The merchandise was in great demand...It was great value because they were matching the euro against sterling as an opening night offer... SEP. 21. THE 02, DUBLIN: Cliff and The Shads treated us to another rock n roll extravaganza at a packed 02 arena in Dublin...The new arena is huge and has double the seating capacity of the old Point Depot...The sound and lighting were excellent...Cliff and The Shads were in top form and had everyone up on their feet dancing and clapping along...After We Say Yeah Cliff greeted the audience in Gaelic Irish which was a suprise...No false start for Dancing Shoes this time. This happens later on with Bachelor Boy. Cliff stops after a minute saying he cant hear the keyboards and says he doesn't want to sing out of tune. They have a laugh about it and do the song again...Brian Bennett does a couple of fabulous drum solos also...Cliff's vocals are exceptional...There's a really fresh feel to all the songs especially the rock n roll ones. It's a back to basics rock n roll show...The giant screen at the back of the stage was spectacular in the big arena...Afterwards we waved Cliff and The Shads off leaving the arena...Christopher Biggins was in the car with Cliff.He had been on Irish tv earlier in the day...The nearby Jurys Inn had a buffet after the concert for returning fans. They had Cliff and The Shads photos on the menus and were showing The Event on the tv in the bar. (Thanks John Geaney) SEPT.25. THE 02, LONDON: This arena really is HUGE...Met up with fans in inside the huge foyer right at the front of the building and also outside near the entrance...Only one video screen behind the stage. Sitting straight on is OK, but people sitting on the side blocks are only able to see part of the screen, due to large suspended speakers, which block the view. Many fans complain that they cannot see the screen. It really needs two screens at either side of the stage or an overhead video screen to look up at...The tour brochure is excellent and well worth the £15 price. A great montage of both Cliff and the Shadows career through album covers, magazines, programmes and memorabilia...The pens and large wool scarf are recommended...SEPT.26. THE O2, LONDON: 7.35pm start tonight. Near perfect show tonight. Then Cliff fluffs the words to 'Lucky lips', 'Don't talk to him' and 'The next time'. In each instance he carries on...The rockers 'Nine times out of ten' and 'It'll be me' sound even better tonight than last night...'The finale song 'The young ones' gets huge applause at the end...SEPT.28, THE 02, LONDON: Cliff mentions on stage that the "Reunited" album is at No.6 in the album chart...In the audience tonight, Olivia Newton-John, Daniel O'Donnell, Frank Allen from The Searchers and ex-Cliff backing singer Tony Rivers...OCT.1, NIA, BIRMINGHAM: 7.45pm start due to coach parties arriving late...Great atmosphere here as always...Cliff slightly fluffs words to "Do you wanna dance"...Bruce quips "This is our second final tour!"...When introducing the members of the Shadows, Hank forgets to mention Brian, so the audience remind him...Cliff fluffs words to "Sea Cruise"...Warren Bennett plays accordian on "Travelling light"...Brian gets big applause at the end of "Foot tapper"...Excellent show as Cliff and the Shadows look more relaxed and really into the swing of things....OCT 3, NIA, BIRMINGHAM: 7.45pm start again tonight, due to late coach parties...Really great party feel about tonight...Fans are out to enjoy themselves...Hank says that "Birmingham is one of their favourite places to play"...At the start of the acoustic set Cliff says "We are going to play quietly". Hank quips "You speak for yourself!"...Cliff starts the talk for 'being knocked off the top by the Shadows. Bruce asks "What about the 200 fans?" Cliff should be doing the talk for "Please don't tease", which he corrects...Cliff does the Morecambe and Wise dance (!) near the end of "Summer holiday"...Another great show...OCT.4, NIA, BIRMINGHAM: It's the last night of three shows here...Again 7.45pm start...When Cliff is talking about No.1, he says "I must do pantomime again!"...When Hank talks about the guy bringing the guitars on "Who is he?" Hank says that he is a Geordie. "He makes Ant and Dec sound posh!"...When Cliff returns on stage he is wearing an unusual waistcoat. Black and gold with an unusual design on the back of it...Fans throw up loads of different coloured balloons at the end...At the front near the end the sound of people shouting for Cliff is deafening...A fantastic end to the run of Birmingham concerts...OCT.6, CARDIFF: 7.30pm start...Totally full arena...No-one stands in the first half...Cliff starts to talk about being knocked off the top by the Shadows, but Hank reminds him of "Please don't tease" (so no mention of the 200 fans at EMI)...Fans do stand for "Move it", "Singing the blues" and "The young ones"...Another excellent performance from Cliff and the Shadows.When Cliff talked about his first song only reaching number 7 Hank started flicking his glasses mockingly (Eric Morecambe style!). The audience laughed so much he kept doing it at various opportune moments during the rest of the concert...OCT.7, LIVERPOOL: When Hank asked Cliff to re-explain the stuff about the "double A records" because it was hard to understand, Cliff said "it's only hard if you're an idiot!"...I noticed that just before the time came for Cliff to do the talk about the 200 fans in the basement at EMI, Bruce clearly went towards to Cliff to prompt him (Bruce obviously thought Cliff might forget again!)...Just before "Move It" something went wrong with Hank's guitar. Hank said "at least it proves we are live!". Cliff said "we either need a new guitar or a new guitarist!" and then Cliff said "this is like the dead parrot sketch, this is a dead guitar - a dead Fender, it has ceased to be.." After a few mins, all was OK and they carried on. (thanks Ruth Witkin for Liverpool snippets)...OCT.14, SHEFFIELD: Show started at 7-55 due to arena being slow to admit crowd . (They announced a 15 minute late start just after 7.30pm but it was 7.55pm by the time the show started)...Great atmosphere with many fans singing 'Happy Birthday'...One roadie had Happy Birthday Cliff pinned onto the back of his shirt when he went on stage to change guitars...Cliff joked it was the roadies Birthday as well...Sound problems with "Living Doll" and "Travelling light", which both were re started. (Thanks to Andrew Price for Sheffield snippets)...OCT. 17, MANCHESTER: A superb concert in Manchester....Hank made a few different jokes tonight - after Bruce's usual quip about him & Mark Griffiths going to the same colour stylist, Hank said I've just worked out what you two remind me of ..... 2 pints of Guinness!!...Hank said "a lot of fans have come from abroad to see the concerts .....for example from Liverpool !!" ..."no seriously, we had a group of 7 girls from Japan last week - we did the decent thing and showed them British hospitality - we invited them backstage and then mugged them!!...No fluffing of lines by Cliff at all tonight - however he did drop his plectrum and had to scramble on the floor to pick it up!...OCT. 18, MANCHESTER: After "Time Drags By" when Cliff said "that's from one of our lesser known films Finders Keepers" the audience gave a big cheer - so Cliff said "only about 100 people saw it .and they're all here tonight!"...When they all come back on the stage for the encore Cliff forgot to say the bit about "haven't you got homes to go to?.......neither have we"...At the very end of the show as they all walked off Cliff said "till we meet again .". (Thanks Ruth Witkin for Manchester snippets)...OCT. 20, CARDIFF: Right on the front row, centre block, just a few rows in front of us, is the lead guitarist from "That'll be the day" team...When Cliff talks about perhaps he should do pantomime again, Hank says "I thought we were!"...Bruce talking about this being the Shadows second final tour, he says "There is more to come, I hope!" (cheers from audience)...When Hank talks about "Wonderful land" and how they had imrpoved it, he said they were blown away, (looking at Bruce) "Bruce still is blown away, looking at his hair!" (laughs all round)...At the end of "High class baby" Cliff really holds on to a note, to great effect...When "Sea cruise" starts, some fans (and the two cameramen filming) are wearing sea hats..."Lucky lips" sees some fans holding up cards with lips on them...Just prior to "All shook up" starting, Cliff slips off his stool... Cliff forgets the chat about the 200 fans and Bruce reminds him prior to "Please don't tease"...Cliff says about another 'memory of a song' and Bruce quips "Very hard for your age!"...Hank talks about Japanese fans being in the audience tonight, "So we showed them some typical British hospitality, we mugged them!"...Cliff fluffs the first few lines to "The next time" and asks it to be started again...Everyone stands and sings along to the final three songs: "Move it", "Singing the blues" and "The young ones"...OCT.22, WEMBLEY ARENA: 7.35pm start tonight...Cliff starts to go wrong on "Sea Cruise" but carries on regardless...In second half Cliff wears a red leather jacket with black T-shirt...Cliff coughes slightly at start of "Time drags by"...After "Apache" the Shadows have to restart "Foot tapper"...Cliff slightly fluffs "Visions" but carries on...Another excellent show...Oct 23, WEMBLEY ARENA: 7.38pm start...Great atmosphere on this final night of the UK tour...When Cliff talks about artists being nurtruded back then, he mentions that David Bryce (former tour manager) is in the audience tonight...At the end of "Sea Cruise" sea hats and teddy bears come flying through the air...Also in the audience tonight Gloria Hunniford and her husband Steven, Rolf Harris and Colin Pryce-Jones, lead guitarist with top Shadows tribute band The Rapiers...After "Lucky lips" large pink lips are thrown up onto the stage. Cliff quips "Hey they've getting a bit lippy"... For "On the beach" coloured balloons are thrown up and bounced around...Cliff says that the teddy bears thrown up will go to the St.Ormond Street Hospital (tonight's charity)...Faultless performance from Cliff and the Shadows on this last UK date.
FEB.6, 2010, BURSWOOD DOME, AUSTRALIA: Starts 15 minutes late to enable fans to get into the Dome...Cliff and The Shadows play to 20,000 fans...The set list is exactly the same as the UK shows...They receive a standing ovation at the end of the concert...FEB 7, 2010, BURSWOOD DOME: 14,300 fans attend. "50TH ANNIVERSARY FAN CLUB AFTERNOON TEA" Sunday, October 19th, 2008. Oakley Court Hotel, Windsor. This 'Fan Club Afternoon Tea' is being given by Cliff for his Fan Club representatives. Fan Club Presidents from the UK and abroad have gathered for this very special event. Many have attended from many miles away, including New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and the USA. There are 70 people arriving at this beautiful hotel, all gathering in the Westminster Room. We gather in the adjoining bar and already there is a buzz. Everyone is meeting up with people they may have met previously at concerts or meeting with people they have never seen before! Anton Husmann and Harry de Louw, from the International Cliff Richard Movement are here and it's good to meet up with them. We queue up to enter the large room, which is laid out perfectly with lit candlelabras. The new Cliff album "Cliff- 50th Anniversary Album" is playing and it gradually gets louder. There is a real atmosphere here today as shortly we will be meeting the man himself (and I don't mean Bill Latham). 2.55pm and there is a loud burst of applause as Cliff enters the room with Bill alongside. Cliff is wearing a brown jacket and trousers, with open-necked pink and black striped shirt with a red jumper. Bill says that today sees a 'unique' event. Bill outlines today's schedule, which will include the tea, everyone having their photos taken with Cliff (Sue Andrews is the photographer) and a chance later to ask Cliff some questions. The tea contains sandwiches, scones with jam and fresh cream, strawberries and various cakes. While we are having the tea, we break off to go and have our photos taken with Cliff. I take the opportunity to ask him how the tour rehearsals are going, especially the dancing. Cliff says that it was fragmented doing the singing, then learning the new dance routines, but he has recently combined the two, so it is coming on nicely now. I ask him about the songs and he says he will be singing "Honky tonk angel" on the tour! After the photos and the tea, Cliff takes the microphone and thanks everyone for coming. Cliff then comes round all the tables to present us with a present! It's a small black decorated box that contains a silver key-ring with the inscription 'Cliff Richard 50th Anniversary Fan Club Tea. 19.10.08'. Gifts are being given to him also. Our table, which includes Anton, Harry and their wives, Angelique and friend and Sandie from East Anglia and Bryan, is the last table visited by Cliff - and my wife Moya is the very last person to get the Cliff gift! I mention this to Cliff and he laughs and pats me on the back. I have never seen Cliff look so happy and relaxed. There is such a warm atmosphere and combined love for Cliff in the room that you feel you can actually touch it. 4pm and Cliff and Bill sit on two tall stools for an interview. Bill asks him about his book "You really enjoyed doing this book, didn't you?" which he enjoyed doing with Penny Junor. Cliff says "Yes". At the start, it was just all facts and then there were three drafts and he became really involved in this book building up the chapters. "How did the tour come to be called Time Machine?" Cliff says that it was because many fans remember songs from when they were courting, got married, had children and the songs ran alongside their lives. He reveals that he very nearly used this title on a tour before - the plans were drawn up and everything, but for some reason, it didn't come off. So now, celebrating 50 years, was an ideal time to use it! Talks about the dance routines all now coming together and so, "Yes, it's all taking shape". Bill asks "Were you very disappointed that 'Thank you for a life time' didn't get to No.1?" Many shout out "Yes!" "I didn't mean you!" jokingly. Cliff says that downloads failed him, but did you know that "I sold more than the whole Top 75 so, in a way, I was No.1". Cliff asks how many of us downloaded. Many put up their hands. Cliff says that he was very lucky to get a song, two songs in fact, that are 'thank you' songs, and they don't make you go 'Yuck'- the other, a ballad, he will be singing on the new tour. He talks of record sales back in the 60s when he and the Shadows would sell 80,000 copies a day. People now download just a few songs, which affects an album's sales. Bill: "Do you think you were there at the heyday of the single? Do you miss it?" Cliff says that he does miss it and that radio plays such an important part in having hits. To still be recording and performing 50 years on "is a miracle". Cliff says that he now does 'project' albums, which seem to work and sell well. Bill says that is amazing that fans have followed him since 1958. "That is loyalty". "Absolutely" says Cliff. Bill asks if he ever gets irritated by fans. Cliff says only when they interrupt him eating, but it is rare. He says that when he goes out, he always puts something decent on, just in case there is a photo in the paper. How are the tour rehearsals going? Cliff says that he asked Malcolm if he could have an extra week's rehearsal this time, which he has, and he's glad. Cliff says that he wil be singing five duets on the tour, which include "Had to be" and "All I ask of you". On the tour, Cliff will be able to 'zap' into the years right from the 50s through to the 00s. Bill confirms that Cliff and The Shadows will be performing at this year's Royal Variety Show. Cliff talks about 'Mobile Alabama school leaving hullabulloo' and it was unearthed and he didn't remember the song. After hearing it, he remembered it. "It's a cracking rock'n'roll number. William would love it!" Cliff says that he will sing it on the tour. Also, he will do a 12-minute medley of songs he hasn't sung on the tour. He says that he can see him forgetting what comes next, but JJ will tell me through my speakers. So, it might be "Please don't tease", then "40 days". Bill: "Any plans to retire?" Cliff: "Retirement is not a word I use. I try to slow down, but I am working less and then, when I do work, it's more intensely. Bill: "If there was one place, home, you had to live in, which would it be?" Cliff: "It would be Portugal. It's a 30-acre farm and it's so peaceful. I feel encased in privacy there. If there was one place to live when I'm 100, it would be America. Everything is so assessable there. You can go to the movies, eat popcorn, walk down the street. If there was one place I had to give up, it would be Barbados. Barbados is frantic". Bill now opens up the room to anyone to ask Cliff questions. Someone asks "What have you enjoyed doing the most Cliff?" Cliff: "Career-wise? it would have to be 'Heathcliff' - a combination of the things I enjoy doing the most, acting and singing". "You say about doing tours in the winter, when it's cold and you could catch flu, why don't you tour say in the Spring?" Bill says "Good point". Cliff says that it's a financial thing. Most artists tour in the autumn/winter time and thats when tours make money. "Special effects on the tour? Cliff says that over the years, everyone LOVED the lasers on 'Ocean deep'. Bill then says "William" and then "Is that still the same (white) jacket?" I say "No!". he says "Oh good!" Fortunately, I do have a question. "Many years ago Cliff, you said that your favourite album was 'Rock'n'roll juvenile'. Given all the great albums you have made over the years, is that still your favourite? What would be your favourite three albums now?" Cliff: 'Rock'n'roll juvenile' is still one of my favourites. We had so much fun doing that. It had good songs written by Terry Britten and BA Robertson. 'Carrie' was on that. 'We don't talk anymore'. But, you'd have to let me have five. 'Wired for sound' was another great album" Cliff talks about the title song and starts singing some of it: 'power from the needle to the plastic' highlighting the notes and how he sings it diffently on stage now to the record. 'I'm nearly famous' was a fun album to do, but a lot of hard work. Bruce would make me really work on that. He would make me do it over and over to get it right. He was a stickler to getting the right notes. Then there was 'Always guaranteed' which sold so well and had terrific songs. Bill says "Something's goin' on?" Cliff: "I thought it was one of my best albums, but for some reason, it didn't sell like we hoped for and I don't really know why. Everyone raved over it". Someone asks about his trips abroad for Tear Fund and Cliff says that really we have nothing to worry about compared to some countries. Bill mentions the 'Songs of Praise' special to be shown in December. Who did the backing on 'Theme for a dream'? Cliff: "It was the Mike Sammes singers. They did the backing on that". Plans to tour Europe next year? Cliff says that he is hoping to get the Cliff and Shadows shows sorted soon and that he will be able to announce it to coincide with the TM tour and because he and the Shadows were so popular abroad, it would be ideal to take the shows abroad, but he can't confirm anything just yet. He says that the days with the Shadows were great fun and in a way, he misses the camaraderie. Christine Whitehead asks "Why do you not do the 'Audience with' evenings any more? Cliff: "Oh, you mean the gospel evenings? I pulled back on these to let other people do it. It's not so easy to fit them in these days, but there's no reason why we couldn't do them". Katrina Richards, New Zealand asks: "Taking up William's point, why not sing in the original keys?" Cliff: "Well, there's a difference in singing on the record and singing live. Your voice changes also over the years."Are you scared of anything? Bill: "Well, you don't like spiders". Cliff: "No". He goes on to say that there is something about them and his sisters always shouted for him to deal with them". Getting back to singing, he says that he does all these vocal exercises called 'trills', which he does for us! His coach says that Cliff's voice is good and that he is singing with ease. Obviously it's a worry if his voice ever gave out. Cliff says he would know if it was giving out. "How about a new song with the Shadows? Could be No.1" Someone else says that the Shads' fans would buy it as well, so more sales. Cliff says that he's not sure that even then that would be enough to get to No.1, but we could do that. Bill draws an end to the questions. Anton steps forward to thank Cliff for the event and what do you give a man for a present. A bottle of wine to a man who has a winery! No, so he presents Cliff with a large cheque for £2,500 (money from the Fan Clubs) for the Brazilian project for Tear Fund. Cliff: "Thank you so much". Bill says that loyalty is so important. Thank you for giving so much over the years to various things". Katrina now steps up to talk about John, a downs syndrome boy, who loves Cliff and his music and who does cross-stitch. When John knew that Katrina would be seeing Cliff today, he wanted to do something special for Cliff. So Katrina presented Cliff with a cushion, made by John, with a teddy bear in a rocking chair on it. "Cliff thank you for today". Loud applause. Cliff now draws a name out of an envelope and Gwen Cooper from South Africa wins a very large flower table display! Now, it's three cheers for Cliff. Cliff then bids his farewells and the event is over. Everyone feels very privileged to have attended. A huge 'Well done' to Gill Snow who organised the event. At the beginning of the 'Tea', Bill had said that this was a unique event. Everyone attending today would certainly agree with that. Up close and very personal with a living legend. And yet, it was just like all friends together with someone we feel we have known all our lives. It was a truly 'unique' event, in all senses of the word. THANK YOU CLIFF. Review by William. (If you use this review please credit). William bringing you the latest up-to-date Cliff news! Right at the end of Cliff's "WANTED" concert at the NIA Birmingham October 26th, 2002, I presented Cliff with a silver cup on a marble base with the inscription: "Constantly Cliff" Special Award SIR CLIFF RICHARD "WANTED" BEST POP TOUR 2002/2003 on behalf of Cliff fans everywhere. He accepted it with a huge smile saying "Thank you" and went off stage holding it tightly.  |
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